


An Afternoon's Work

by flung0ut0fspace



Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: Ann just being horny for her wife on main, Domestic Bliss, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, and the servants are getting tired of it, just dumb fluff, there's just no overstating how thirsty Ann Walker was at all times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 09:55:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19226785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flung0ut0fspace/pseuds/flung0ut0fspace
Summary: Anne Lister comes home to Shibden disheveled and sweaty from an afternoon working outdoors with John Booth. Ann Walker has some feelings about it. Just a quick bit of fluff.





	An Afternoon's Work

Ann Walker sat contentedly in the drawing room reading her book by the fireplace. Autumn was near, but the days were still warm enough that a pleasant breeze could pass through the window. Anne had had business today, early meetings with tenants, and she said she might take in some work with John and Mr. Pickles in the afternoon. 

The clock struck four and Ann began to grow curious when her wife might return, though she was glad to have some time and space to herself in the much more crowded house.

Her curiosity was quickly answered as she heard the door burst open down the hall and the usual gruff flurry of Anne greeting her servants with a coat and demand. This time it was for a basin of water to be sent to the blue room where Anne often liked to unwind. 

It wasn’t long before her stride carried her into the drawing room to visit with Ann briefly on her way toward the stairs. 

Ann was struck by the sight of her: shirtsleeves rolled up past the elbows, her waistcoat unbuttoned, collar loosened, hair askew. There were traces of dirt and sweat on her face, hands, and arms.

Ann took a short breath, unable to find words, though she understood quite viscerally the effect her wife’s current state of deshabille was having on her. All she could do was keep herself collected. 

Anne on the other hand furrowed her brow and curled her lip in confusion at the greeting of her wife’s blank stare. 

“Afternoon to you, too,” she remarked curtly.

“A -afternoon,” Ann stammered. Now the sunlight through the window was hitting the beads of sweat on her arms and face that she appeared to glisten.

“What?” Anne inquired, perhaps even a bit annoyed.

“Nothing, just…what’ve you been up to?” Ann tried to play natural.

“I’ve been working with John. I told you I would be, didn’t I?”

“Yes, right. You’ve been…what did you do?”

“We broke up some rocks.”

“Broke up some…and ho-how’d you manage that?” Ann needed to paint the full picture. She was too far gone.

“Well…rather the way you’d expect I imagine. With a hammer.”

“Just…took a hammer to the rocks? Out there in the sun?”

Anne was beginning to catch on at last. She shifted her stance and narrowed her eyes at her eager young wife. 

“Indeed I did.”

“Hard work, is it?” 

Anne couldn’t be sure if she was more bemused by Ann’s effortful nonchalant tone or the fact that her face was now a flush red. 

“Very hard work. But it’s good exercise. You know I like working outdoors, with my hands.”

“Mhm. I do. I do know that.” Ann was barely keeping it together. “Tired you out, has it?”

Anne smiled, prepared to give exactly the right answer to this question.

“Quite the contrary, actually. I’m rather invigorated.”

“Are you?” She took a gulp of air.

Anne shrugged and gave Ann the knowing crooked smile that made her weak. But Anne, ever the seducer, knew better than to give the entire game away now. And so she walked brusquely past her flustered wife and gave her a quick kiss atop her head, en route to the stairs.

“I’ve had Cordingley send a basin of water to the blue room. Thought I might wash up and be ready for dinner by the time Marian gets back. But you look so tranquil here, please do stay put my dear, I won’t be 20 minutes.” 

Ann shot up from her seat but stood still, unaware of what was controlling her body in this moment or what it might do next if Anne didn’t do something first. 

Anne stopped at the stairs and turned to see Ann standing, expectant, and amidst her sense of triumph, Anne couldn’t help but notice the way her wife’s chest looked so perfect when overwhelmed by anticipation as it was right now. 

“Unless of course, you’d care to join me?”

Ann tossed her book onto the seat of the chair. She was not in the mood to mince words or meanings.

“Yes.”

Anne stood to the side, allowing Ann to grab her hand and lead her up the stairs, taken by a fit of giddy laughter as Anne began pawing at her from behind, stumbling their way toward privacy.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Cordignley was stumped to find the door to the blue room closed. The basin was heavy and she determined not to set it down first to knock or enter.

“Miss Lister? I’ve got your water here,” she announced from the hall. No response. She opened her mouth to speak again but instead was met with a loud thud of something falling from within the room, followed by the bright, boisterous laughter of Miss Walker. Miss Lister’s could be heard soon after.

Cordingley, still confused, stood by for a moment longer until suddenly she heard Miss Walker’s laughter dissolve into something else, sighing perhaps and then…

Cordingley simply exhaled, rolled her eyes and set the basin down on the floor outside the door. As she headed for the stairs, she passed Eugenie making her way up them in the direction she had just come from, carrying some fresh clothes for Miss Lister. Cordingley just shook her head at the girl. 

“Pas maintenant,” she sighed, resignedly, in her broken French. Eugenie deflated, almost annoyed.

“Encore?” she asked.

“Oui, encore.”

The two servants trudged back down the stairs, glad for their mistress’s happiness, but increasingly unsure of how used to this new routine they were willing to get.


End file.
